In recent years, a system which presents various kinds of information and operation means to a user via a screen as a user interface (man-machine interface), and receives operation from a user, is used in general.
A screen configuration of such system can be an important factor which affects the usability of the system. Therefore, with regard to the component of the screen, it may be desirable to evaluate, for example, consistency (uniformity) of displayed appearance, validity of a display content, and the like of the components, on the basis of a particular criterion and the like. In this case, a screen of the system and a color scheme of a component of the screen could also be an important evaluation target.
As to such system screen, for example, the color scheme of the component constituting the screen is preferably arranged, so that the user can easily distinguish the types of the various kinds of functions (interfaces) displayed on the screen and the meaning of information displayed on the screen. In this case, for example, the same or similar color may be arranged to information having the same meaning, or to components presenting (providing) the same type of functions. Thereby, the color schemes of the components have consistency. On the other hand, colors of which color difference is large (different colors) may be arranged to information having different meanings or components presenting different functions.
As described above, when the difference in displayed information and the functions can be easily distinguished from each other on the basis of the color schemes of the components of the screen, the user can easily understand the rules of arrangement of colors. Thereby, the usability of the system for the user may be improved.
For example, technologies related to the consistency and the color schemes of the user interface described above are disclosed in following patent literatures (PTLs).
PTL 1 discloses technologies related to an evaluation system of a GUI (Graphical User Interface) screen. In the technology described in PTL 1, the titles are grouped on the basis of expression information (structures, colors, fonts, lines, and the like) and position information about the titles included in a screen of the evaluation target. Further, in the technology described in PTL 1, the consistency of the title expressions is evaluated by determining the sameness of the grouped titles, with regard to the all of multiple screens included in the evaluation target.
PTL 2 discloses a technology related to an evaluation method for evaluating components constituting a GUI screen. In the technology described in PTL 2, components constituting the GUI screen are grouped on the basis of attribute values (size and color) of the components. In the technology described in PTL 2, the number of components included in certain group is assumed as an inter-group distance, and the groups are integrated in the ascending order of the distance, so that a cluster is generated. In the technology described in PTL 2, consistency of the attribute values of the components are evaluated by determining that an attribute value of a component included in a cluster including a group having a largest number of components is correct, and an attribute value of a component included in the other clusters are incorrect.
PTL 3 discloses a technology of a GUI evaluation apparatus. In the technology described in PTL 3, it is determined whether the GUI of the application is designed in accordance with a guideline. In the technology described in PTL 3, the guideline of the GUI design screen is accumulated as a formality rule. Then, in the technology described in PTL 3, it is determined whether the GUI is made in accordance with the guideline or not by comparing data of objects constituting the GUI and the rule.
PTL 4 discloses a technology for a color scheme inspection of an electronic content (electronic document and the like). In the technology described in PTL 4, components (components) constituting an electronic content are extracted, and a combination pattern of components arranged in area located proximity is identified, among the components. In the technology described in PTL 4, with regard to the combination pattern, it is determined whether the color schemes of the adjacent components are compatible, on the basis of a rule.
PTL 5 discloses a technology of readability evaluation of Web content (electronic content). In the technology described in PTL 5, information about color schemes and images are extracted from Web contents. Then, in the technology described in PTL 5, multiple index values about the readability of the contents are calculated on the basis of the information. In the technology described in PTL 5, the brightness, color phase, and chroma saturation are adopted as the index values, and the index is calculated for each component of the Web content. Accordingly, in the technology described in PTL 5, the readability of the Web content is evaluated in a multiple cases (for example, a case of monochrome print, a case of color perception disabled person, and the like).